Monday, 6 April 2015

Dram & Smoke's Five Week Spring Pop-up in Hackney Wick

Dram & Smoke, the excellent Scottish pop-up restaurant is back for a spring residency in Hackney Wick E3, for 5 weeks from 17th April to 16th May, Wednesday to Saturday. As at their winter event you'll get a five course menu, this time cooked with the help of a whisky barrel smoker, a Monkey Shoulder cocktail, and lots of general good vibes. Warning - The Winter one sold out really quickly...

"Scottish Pop-up Dram & Smoke is migrating East for spring with a five week stint in a former sofa factory by the riverside in Hackney Wick.Previous projects from the D&S lads include sold out runs in a steelyard in Vauxhall and a leather tannery in London Bridge where they served up the best of Scottish produce alongside copious whisky cocktails, good tunes and a party atmosphere. For their spring project the same Highland hospitality applies with a £40 ticket that includes a cocktail on arrival and five courses of top drawer Scottish fare.A whisky barrel smoker helps create many elements of the menu, which is served up family-style so everyone can roll up their sleeves and get stuck in. From the theatre of the open kitchen guests will receive five courses including Cullen Skink Mousse (don’t worry, that one often gets lost in translation… it’s smoked haddock) and Smokin’ Onion Broth with Peas & Cheese. Next comes potted duck jars that are paired with a marmalade dressing and that Scottish breakfast classic tattie (potato) scones. When it comes to the main course, at centre-stage is an epic carve-at-the-table salt-baked lamb shoulder to share. It comes complete with a mini hammer to break off the crust to reveal spring’s most beautifully succulent meat as well as an assortment of sides. When dessert rolls around things are kept simple with a sharing Lemon Hot Toddy Tart – yep, that means it has whisky in it.As ever with D&S, the spring project takes place in a suitably unique venue that’s just a short walk from Hackney Wick Overground and is all exposed brick, steel rafters, and low lighting. This time around they’re upping their bar game too with a striking setup overlooking the river and onto the former Olympic Stadium. A typically tongue-in-cheek whisky cocktail menu comes courtesy of Monkey Shoulder and is joined by BrewDog beers and a short wine list.There will be bar tickets available for those that don’t fancy a full night of scran and just want to kick back on the couches for a few drinks. The boozy house party vibe is helped along with the addition of table tennis and a host of other ‘play-with-one-hand-with-drink-in-the-other’ games that will be in the mix for those with fidgety feet and a competitive spirit. There’s even a dedicated beer pong room in the mix. A number of acoustic music nights are in the works too so Dram & Smoke is definitely one that you can make a night of this spring."